In a powerful call to action ahead of the U.N. Ocean Conference in France, Prince William has urged world leaders and businesses to unite in addressing the escalating threats facing the world’s oceans.
Speaking at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco on Sunday, the Prince of Wales described ocean protection as a challenge “like none we have faced before” and warned that climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing are placing immense strain on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
“What once seemed an abundant resource is diminishing before our eyes,” Prince William said. “The ocean is under enormous threat, but it can revive itself. But, only if together, we act now.”
The forum brought together policymakers and investors focused on sustainable ocean finance, just a day before the start of the U.N. Ocean Conference, where global leaders are expected to push for the ratification of a treaty on protecting ocean biodiversity—a landmark agreement still awaiting enough signatories to come into force.
Prince William addressed the gathering in his capacity as founder of the Earthshot Prize, a global environmental initiative launched in 2020 to inspire urgent innovation and scalable solutions to the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Ahead of the conference, Kensington Palace also released a video of Prince William in conversation with Sir David Attenborough, discussing the iconic naturalist’s new documentary “Ocean”. Attenborough highlighted the severe damage to deep-sea ecosystems, noting:
“The thing which I am appalled by… is what we have done to the deep ocean floor. If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.”
This week’s events aim to galvanize global momentum toward sustainable ocean governance and highlight the urgent need to protect marine life for future generations.
